Auctioning of Modi suit a 'damage control' exercise: Congress

New Delhi: Congress on Wednesday took potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over putting his pinstripe monogrammed bandhgala suit on the block and said the auction was a "damage control" exercise.

Opposing the auction of the controversial suit worn by Modi during the US President Barack Obama's visit to India last month, the party demanded that the process of auctioning should immediately be stopped and it should be deposited with the 'Toshakhana'.

"This is happening three weeks after the suit was worn by Modi... This is a damage control exercise. Damage control of his reputation," Congress General Secretary Ajay Maken told reporters here.

The Congress reaction came soon after a Surat-based textile businessman, Rajesh Juneja, bid a whopping Rs 1.21 crore for the suit at the three-day auction which opened on Wednesday.

"Wearing of a suit of Rs 10 lakh was criticised not only in India, but globally... The people didn't like the way the Prime Minister wore the suit while meeting the President of US... So as a damage control exercise this was done by the Prime Minister," Maken said.